Conventionally, it has been known that carbon dioxide (carbonic acid anhydride: CO2) has both properties of being not only soluble in water (water-soluble) but also soluble in fat (fat-soluble) and, therefore, if only contacting the skin and mucous membrane of the living organism as being mixed with water and fat, carbon dioxide penetrates under a subcutaneous layer and expands blood vessels around the parts of penetrated carbon dioxide, and it works to improve the blood circulation. By this action of accelerating the blood circulation, it displays various physiological effects such as dropping of blood pressure, improving of metabolism or accelerating to remove pain substance or waste product. Further, it has also anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial. Therefore, carbon dioxide has recently been given attentions also from viewpoints of improving health or beauty other than the purpose of medical cares.
Carbon dioxide in the tissue of the living organism works to release oxygen having been carried in combination with hemoglobin in a red blood cell. Around parts at the high density of carbon dioxide, the red blood cell releases more oxygen. Thus, supply of oxygen to cells by the red blood cell is mainly controlled by carbon dioxide. In short, being without carbon dioxide, hemoglobin remains as having been combined with oxygen and the cell becomes unable to receive oxygen. As is seen, carbon dioxide seems to be waste products resulted from action of the cell, however, it plays in fact very important roles in the living organism.
Further, recently, oxygen of the high density has also widely been known as effective in activity of metabolism, acceleration of blood circulation, fatigue recovery, or stability of blood pressure. Other than them, oxygen has effects of disinfection or sterilization by oxidation.
As a prior art for causing carbon dioxide to be absorbed into the living organism, a most broadly used technique is (1) a bathing agent generating carbon dioxide in water. Throwing this bathing agent into hot water in a bathtub, it generates carbon dioxide by reacting carbonate and acid contained in the bathing agent, and dissolves it in hot water. Carbon dioxide dissolved in hot water contacts the skin of a bathing person and penetrates his/her subcutaneous layer to display physiological effects as above mentioned.
As the prior art for causing more carbon dioxide to contact the living organism, (2) a carbon dioxide bathing device has been known. This emits and disperses carbon dioxide in hot water and dissolves it at the high density. When bathing in hot water having dissolved carbon dioxide, the skin directly contacts it like the above mentioned bathing agent.
A blood circulation accelerating device (for example, Patent Document 1) has now been disclosed, which (3) attaches a cover to the human living organism on one part of his/her surface to form a sealed space together with the surface of the living organism, and introduces carbon dioxide into the sealed space from a carbon dioxide supply means for carrying out a carbon dioxide bathing.
A carbon dioxide pressure bathing device, which is equipped with at least (4) the carbon dioxide supply means, a pressurizing means, and a covering material for covering the living organism's skin and causing carbon dioxide to contact the skin at pressure of not less than predetermined value, has been proposed by an inventor of the present invention.
As the prior art for causing oxygen to be absorbed into the living organism, (5) a high density oxygen bathing device has been known. Being similar to the carbon dioxide bathing device, this emits and disperses oxygen dioxide in hot water, in which taking a bath, oxygen is caused to directly contact the skin.